Norfolk Admirals Weekly

NORFOLK - The Norfolk Admirals will carry a three-game winning streak into their first games after the All-Star Break this weekend on the road.

Last week, the Admirals swept three games at Norfolk Scope Arena. Igor Bobkov stopped 30 shots and eight different players recorded points as the Admirals defeated the Charlotte Checkers, 3-1, on Wednesday night at Scope. On Friday night, Frederik Andersen made 37 saves and goals by Patrick Maroon and Josh Brittain helped Norfolk erase a 1-0 deficit as they defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 2-1. In the Saturday rematch, Emerson Etem and Luca Caputi each had three-point games and Andersen recorded his first North American professional shutout as the Admirals topped the Sound Tigers, 5-0.

The Admirals set sail for the Northeast this weekend, as they take on the Adirondack Phantoms on Friday and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday.

STANDINGS UPDATE

At 18-21-2-1 (39 points), the Admirals are in 5th place in the East Division and 14th place in the Eastern Conference. Below are the current AHL Eastern Conference standings:

Rank

Team
GP
W
L
OTL
SL
PTS
PCT

1
*
Binghamton Senators
41
27
10
1
3
58
0.707

2
*
Springfield Falcons
42
25
11
3
3
56
0.667

3
*
Portland Pirates
43
25
16
1
1
52
0.605

4

Syracuse Crunch
41
25
10
2
4
56
0.683

5

Providence Bruins
41
22
16
0
3
47
0.573

6

Manchester Monarchs
44
21
19
2
2
46
0.523

7

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
42
21
18
2
1
45
0.536

8

Worcester Sharks
42
20
17
1
4
45
0.536

9

Hershey Bears
43
20
19
2
2
44
0.512

10

Connecticut Whale
44
20
20
3
1
44
0.500

11

Albany Devils
40
17
14
1
8
43
0.537

12

Bridgeport Sound Tigers
42
19
19
2
2
42
0.500

13

St. John's IceCaps
44
19
22
1
2
41
0.466

14

Norfolk Admirals
42
18
21
2
1
39
0.464

15

Adirondack Phantoms
41
17
21
2
1
37
0.451

*Division Leaders

Eight teams in each conference shall qualify for the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs. Following the conclusion of each team's 76-game regular season, the three division winners in each conference will be seeded 1-3 (in order of regular-season points) and the next five best teams (in order of regular-season points) will be seeded 4-8.

After a two goal, one assist performance in Saturday's game, F Emerson Etem was called up to Anaheim along with D Sami Vatanen on Sunday. Also on Sunday, D Jordan Hendry and F Peter Holland both were sent back to Norfolk by the Ducks.

Yesterday, goaltender Frederik Andersen was loaned to the Danish National Team for the final qualifying tournament for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Denmark's Olympic qualification games are Feb. 7th at 2:00 p.m. vs. Ukraine, Feb. 8th at 3:00 p.m. vs. Slovenia and Feb. 10th at 12:00 noon vs. Belarus (all times Eastern).

Andersen won both games he started last weekend vs. Bridgeport, stopping 60 of 61 shots. His 23-save performance on Saturday was the first shutout of his North American professional career, and the first Norfolk shutout since Igor Bobkov made 38 saves to blank the St. John's IceCaps on Oct. 28th.

Anderson leads all AHL rookie goaltenders in goals-against average (2.30) and save percentage (.929). He also ranks fifth overall in the AHL in save percentage and ninth overall in the AHL in goals-against average.

Norfolk goaltending has stopped 95% or better of shots faced in a game in four of the last five games (1/19 vs. STJ, Fasth, 27/28 ... 1/23 vs. CHA, Bobkov, 30/31 ... 1/25 vs. BRI, Andersen, 37/38 ... 1/26 vs. BRI, Andersen, 23/23).

Viktor Fasth earned the win in his NHL debut last Saturday night with the Anaheim Ducks, earning first star honors in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Nashville Predators. Fasth appeared in three games with the Admirals earlier in January, posting a 1-2-0 record with a 1.96 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in his North American professional debut.

Norfolk has held its opponents to two or fewer goals against in five of its last six games. The Admirals have not been outshot in their last six games. Norfolk tied a season high with three power play goals on Saturday. Former Admirals forward Peter White was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame yesterday. White spent two seasons with the Admirals, playing in 55 games and scoring 10 goals and 46 points from 2001-02 - 2002-03.

Since joining the Admirals from the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets on December 31st, Josh Brittain has five goals and six points in 12 games. No one has more goals and only Patrick Maroon (3g, 7pts, 10gp) has more points since Brittain joined the team.

The Admirals are 6-3-2-0 this season when Patrick Maroon scores a goal. Of Maroon's 12 goals this season, six have given the Admirals the lead and three have tied the game.

Luca Caputi has two goals and two assists in three games since re-joining the Admirals from the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets.

Dan Sexton has points in four straight games (1g, 3a).

SCOPING THE COMPETITION - SCOUTING REPORT FOR UPCOMING GAMES

Adirondack (17-21-2-1, 37 pts) is fifteenth in the Eastern Conference and is fifth in the Northeast Division.

Bridgeport (19-19-2-2, 42 pts) is twelfth in the Eastern Conference and is fourth in the Northeast Division.

The Admirals and Phantoms have met only once this season with the Admirals dropping a 2-1 decision on Nov. 23rd at Adirondack.

The Admirals and Sound Tigers have met six times this season. Norfolk is 4-1-1-0 in those games. Patrick Maroon, Ryan Parent and Nate Guenin are each former Phantoms. Jeff Dimmen, who won the Calder Cup with Norfolk last season, now skates for Adirondack. This season he has two goals and six assists in 23 games.

Former Admirals defenseman Ty Wishart now skates for the Sound Tigers. Wishart, who scored 14 goals and 57 points in 168 games with Norfolk from 2008-11, has registered two goals and six assists in 35 games with Bridgeport this season.

MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT, PRESENTED BY USAA

The Admirals will hold their second Military Appreciation Night of the 2012-13 season on Friday, Febr. 8th. The Admirals will be facing off against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins) at Scope starting at 7:30 p.m. Military Appreciation Night is presented by USAA.

Red Level Tickets (normally $19 on game nights) will be available for just $11 at the Norfolk Scope Box Office for all active or retired military, their dependents and reservists with valid military identification.

Groups of 15 or more can purchase their Red Level Tickets for just $9 by contacting the Admirals Group Sales Office at (757) 640-1212.

SUPPORT LOCAL YOUTH HOCKEY AT SCOPE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!

Mark your calendars to support the Hampton Roads Junior Whalers at Norfolk Scope Arena as they take on the Atlanta Knights this Friday, Feb. 1st. First, the EMPIRE Junior Whalers will take on the EMPIRE Atlanta Knights at 4:30 p.m. Then, the EJHLS Junior Whalers will take on the EJHLS Atlanta Knights at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for both games. Tickets will be available at the Norfolk Scope Box Office only.

The Whalers have some of the top under 20 players in the nation as well as local and international players. These young men are being scouted by several NCAA schools. Visit www.whalernation.com to read more about the Junior Whalers.

NORFOLK LEADERS

Goals :
Kyle Palmieri (13)

Assists :
Peter Holland, Sami Vatanen (19)

Points :
Peter Holland (31)

Games :
Emerson Etem, Patrick Maroon (40)

PP goals :
Patrick Maroon, Kyle Palmieri (7)

SH goals :
Troy Bodie, Emerson Etem, Chris Wagner (1)

+/- Rating :
Chris Wagner (+9)

PIM :
Patrick Maroon (106)

GAA :
Frederik Andersen (2.30)

Spct :
Frederik Andersen (.929)

Wins :
Frederik Andersen (9)

Losses :
Frederik Andersen, Igor Bobkov (10)

GPI :
Frederik Andersen (23)

Minutes :
Frederik Andersen (1304)

ADIRONDACK LEADERS

Goals :
Brayden Schenn (13)

Assists :
Brayden Schenn (20)

Points :
Brayden Schenn (33)

Games :
Rob Bordson, Danny Syvret, Harry Zolnierczyk (41)

PP goals :
Jason Akeson, Tye McGinn, Brayden Schenn (5)

SH goals :
Several (1)

+/- Rating :
Ben Holmstrom (+3)

PIM :
Zack Fitzgerald (104)

GAA :
Scott Munroe (2.63)

Spct :
Scott Munroe (.914)

Wins :
Scott Munroe (9)

Losses :
Cal Heeter (11)

GPI :
Scott Munroe (22)

Minutes :
Scott Munroe (1207)

BRIDGEPORT LEADERS

Goals :
Nino Niederreiter (19)

Assists :
Colin McDonald (21)

Points :
Nino Niederreiter (36)

Games :
Aaron Ness, John Persson, Blair Riley (42)

PP goals :
Nino Niederreiter (8)

SH goals :
Casey Cizikas, Brandon DeFazio, Brock Nelson (1)

+/- Rating :
David Ullstrom (+11)

PIM :
Nathan McIver (191)

GAA :
Kevin Poulin (3.11)

Spct :
Kevin Poulin (.905)

Wins :
Kevin Poulin (12)

Losses :
Anders Nilsson, Kevin Poulin (10)

GPI :
Kevin Poulin (24)

Minutes :
Kevin Poulin (1368)

TICKETS

Individual tickets are on sale now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com. Don't miss a minute of Admirals action by purchasing your season tickets today. Stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime.

ON THE RADIO/INTERNET

All regular season games will air live on "The Game" 102.1-FM, 1490-AM and online at 1021TheGame.com. AHL Live will also carry online video of every Admirals game on a pay-per-view or season pass basis. Fans can log in to watch, listen or get more information about AHL Live's online audio and video features at ahllive.com.